James Howlett/sheet
Skills Martial Arts - Expert: Logan is a master of a multitude of martial arts forms from across the world (though with a slight weight towards the Japanese martial arts), and has supplemented that training with over a century of fighting experience, military training, and plenty of time in the "school of hard knocks." He has combined this all into a fighting style that is uniquely his own. Even without the use of his adamantium claws, his amazing healing abilities, and the punching power added by his adamantium skeleton, he would easily be considered among the tip-tier close combatants in his world on skill alone, surpassed only by intensely focused martial artists like Daniel Rand or Shang-Chi. Add in his superhuman advantages and he becomes virtually unstoppable by any mundane means, and easily capable of holding his own against nearly any combatant. Swordsmanship - Expert: Logan is a master of the art of Japanese swordsmanship favored by the Samurai of old. While there are a few focused masters of the katana that can surpass him in swordfighting skill (Shingen Yashida was among them), their numbers are few. It is not a skill he employs often, but it is one that he still trains in. Marksmanship - Medium: Logan has had occasion to use firearms many times in his life. While he is familiar with their use and would be considered by most to be a good shot on par with average military commandos, he is far from a master and generally prefers to get in close with his opponents. This skill also extends to bows, crossbows, and thrown weapons. Not his preferred method of attack, but he will occasionally use such weapons for the element of surprise they can provide (Because no one really expects him to use them, much less well). Acrobatics - Medium: Logan may be a stocky little fireplug, but he's an agile one. Between extensive Ninja training and plenty of experience, he's quite adept at leaping, climbing, tumbling, and generally maneuvering his way around a battlefield in a highly mobile and acrobatic fashion. He has an excellent sense of balance (and a low center of gravity) and can be quite evasive when he wishes to be. He's not on the level of folks like Gambit or much less Nightcrawler, but he gets the job done. It can sometimes come as a surprise to his opponents, who are often accustomed to Logan charging into a fight with seemingly little finesse. Stealth - High: Logan was trained as a Ninja, as well as having extensive experience as a commando, spy, and infiltrator. He's very good at being sneaky when he wants to be, and has even at times proven capable of getting the drop on extremely perceptive foes. He is very cognizant of lines of sight, how to place his feet to avoid making noise, blending into crowds (despite his distinctive appearance), and otherwise avoiding detection (or breaking detection once he's been spotted), across nearly any environment, though he's most skilled at maintaining stealth in forests or jungles or similar natural surroundings (where his skill might indeed jump up to "expert" level). Espionage - High: Logan's been an "operator" for a large chunk of his life in one form or another. He's quite familiar with the business when it comes to spycraft, to include methods of surveillance, counter-surveillance, maintaining a cover identity (or spotting inconsistencies in others' identities), laying false data trails, breaking and entering, infiltration, leaving no trace behind (or leaving only the traces you want found behind) and generally everything else that comes with the spy and assassin trade. While not so focused in this area as individuals like Nick Fury or the Black Widow, he is skilled enough that he can play in the same arena without being a liability to himself or others. Tactics - Medium: Logan has never really considered himself a leader-type, but despite that he's simply had too much experience not to have picked up a solid mind for tactics and strategy. When he dedicates himself to the task, he is capable of highly effective planning in both the long and short term, and in a pinch can even be an effective leader of small teams. He hates the job...he doesn't like being responsible for anyone but himself...but he'll do it when he absolutely has to, and usually manages not to embarrass himself when he does. Demolitions - Medium: Logan's had training and experience in the handling of high explosives, on a level equivalent to special operatives and combat engineers. However, most of his skill is in the employment of explosives rather than the disposal or creation of same, so he's not always gonna know which wire to cut to defuse the bomb. Still, when it comes to placing and detonating explosives, Logan's got plenty of skill on the rare occasions that it becomes necessary, and can carry and handle such devices with minimal chance of accidental detonation or mishandling. Multilingual - Expert: Logan speaks, reads, and writes a wide array of languages (in some cases with multiple dialects), and has enough knowledge of many more to be able to reasonably communicate if needed. He is fluent in English, Russian, Japanese, Chinese, French, Italian, Spanish, Thai, Portugese, Arabic, German, and Vietnamese, as well as the language of the Lakota Native American tribe. Barring superhuman intelligence or abilities specifically geared towards language, Logan's linguistic capabilities are extremely impressive. Survival - Expert: Even without the benefit of his healing factor, Logan is a master of survival in the natural world. He can improvise tools, use the environment to his advantage, scrounge or forage for supplies, identifying edible or poisonous plants, animals, and fungi, and generally knows a multitude of ways to find food, water, and shelter across just about any environment imaginable. He can navigate by the sun and the stars with a near flawless sense of direction and only tends to get lost when he WANTS to get lost. He has, at multiple times in his life, survived alone in the wild for months at a time and managed to not only survive, but to thrive, even in harsh environments such as above the Arctic circle. There are few on Earth that could be considered more effective survivalists than the Wolverine. Tracking - Expert: While he can often rely on his superhuman sense of smell to track by scent, Logan is still extremely familiar with the practical and mundane methods of tracking prey both human and animal across nearly any environment on Earth. If he has a starting point and the motivation, it is extraordinarily difficult to elude the Wolverine once his sights are set (short of superhuman methods of mobility). This also means that he's equally gifted at hiding his own trail when he wants to elude others. Animal Empathy - Expert: More a natural talent than a practiced skill, Logan has a strong rapport with the creatures of the natural world. They tend to react to him as though he were a creature of nature himself, though in his case he does still register with them as an "Alpha Predator" which means that prey species are skittish and predator species might try to establish dominance. Still, once he -does- establish dominance he's proven capable of coexisting with large predators without incident, and generally animals tend to not be as alarmed by him as they are other normal humans. It also tends to make his dealing with domesticated animals exceptionally easy, as they tend to readily acknowledge him as "top dog" though creatures specifically bred and trained for aggression may well still attack. Streetwise - Expert: Logan's spent plenty of time working both with and against the shadier elements of society. He's quite familiar with the ins and outs of the criminal world, the major organized crime organizations and their methods and customs, and while it's nigh impossible to know every gang out there, he knows how to look for the signs and can generally track them down with little difficulty. He knows where to find black-market goods, from simple knockoffs to highly illegal items like weapons and drugs. Basically, Logan's got a lot of knowledge about the criminal element, in no small part because he's been the criminal element himself at times. Willpower - Expert: Go ahead and pile it on...he can take it. Logan's willpower is well-honed and reinforced by both the knowledge of his own durability, potent psionic defenses, and a few lifetimes' worth of pain and suffering that have been inflicted upon him across the last century and some change. Torture? Don't make him laugh. He's had molten metal pumped into his bones. Temptation? He's seen and done it all, doesn't really need to do it again. Fear? It's natural...and beatable. Pain? It's temporary. Logan is one of the most stubborn, determined, and plain old cussed individuals on the planet. Once he's set his mind to something, it's going to take a whole lot to sway him short of outright mental or emotional manipulation or superhuman force. Pilot - Average: Logan is trained in the operations of the advanced aircraft fielded by the X-Men, which also means that he's capable of flying most standard aircraft from prop-driven planes to small passenger jets to helicopters. While not an "Ace pilot" by any stretch, he's capable of taking off and landing without difficulty, can fly in adverse conditions without losing his nerve, and even can pull off basic combat maneuvers, though a dedicated combat pilot, given an equal level of equipment, would likely fly circles around him. Driver - High: Logan's been involved in more than a few high-speed chases in his life, and as such is quite skilled at the operation and maneuvering of land-based motor vehicles. He knows how to push them to their limits (and sometimes beyond) and how to drive both offensively and defensively, as well as ways to try to evade pursuers while in a car or on a motorcycle. He's even capable of pulling off the occasional "stunt" (particularly on motorcycles) in the midst of said chases. He's no Johnny Blaze or even Johnny Storm, but he's more than good enough to deal with most standard law-enforcement or criminal types behind the wheel. Mechanic - Average: Logan is capable of performing standard maintenance and minor to moderate repairs on a wide variety of vehicles. This includes standard automobiles and motorcycles as well as the advanced aircraft that the X-Men employ. He's also good for general handiwork, carpentry, and the like. Certainly he's no genius and he's not likely to be building any vehicles from scratch (without a hell of an instruction manual) but he's a capable pair of hands with a toolbelt. Worldly Wisdom - High: You don't get to live as long as Logan without picking up a lot of random knowledge, and Logan's got plenty. For a guy that comes across as brutish at times, he can be remarkably well-read, and while he's no egghead, he has a very in-depth knowledge of various cultures, histories, philosophies, and religions, though with a fairly heavy bent towards East Asian and Native American varieties. Likewise, his grasp on 20th century history is quite solid, given that he lived through the whole century. Put bluntly, Logan's smarter and more knowledgable than he appears or acts at times, and can often display odd bits of trivia and knowledge on some surprising topics. Powers and Abilities Enhanced Senses: Wolverine possesses superhumanly acute senses. His eyesight is well beyond human limits, able to see further and in greater detail than most (up to about 5 miles with a clear line of sight), as well as seeing quite clearly even in conditions of very low light (though complete and total darkness blinds him as it would a normal person...). His hearing is also quite acute, allowing him to hear into frequencies beyond normal human (for instance, he can hear dogwhistles and the like), as well as hearing more clearly from a greater distance (he could for example hear a quiet conversation being held in the opposite endzone of a football field, provided there wasn't so much ambient noise around as to drown it out). He can hear peoples' heartbeats if they're standing nearby and detect fluctuations in it that might indicate they're lying. However, it his his sense of smell that is by far his most highly developed, allowing him to recognize people by scent, track like a bloodhound over great distances, and even sometimes detect unusual chemicals, toxins, or poisons in foods or on surfaces by smell alone. He can detect the varieties of pheromones people are giving off at any given time to gauge their emotional state, both by scent and by taste. Adamantium Skeleton: Wolverine's bones have been laced with the nigh-indestructible metal called Adamantium. On the plus side, this makes him extraordinarily durable. His bones literally cannot be broken short of cosmic-level forces acting upon them (and even then it would require effort). It also means he punches hard as hell, even without his claws, and even on top of his amazing healing factor can survive tremendous amounts of harm and physical force (for instance, he's taken punches from an angry Hulk...certainly enough to KO him...but he'll get up and be just fine minutes if not moments later). On a side-note, the Adamantium used in Wolverine's bones and claws is a type unique to him alone. Known as Adamantium Beta, it is grafted to his bones without impairing their normal function (Ie they still produce blood cells via bone marrow unimpeded). Retractable Claws: Wolverine possesses three retractable claws in each forearm. About 12 inches long when extended and laced with the same Adamantium that covers his bones, these beyond-razor-sharp blades are capable of slicing through steel like a hot knife through butter. If he puts enough force behind his attacks, he can even pierce the skins of superhumanly durable opponents like the Hulk. Logan can choose to extend any combination of claws at a time, as well as controlling how far out they extend. If somehow deprived of the Adamantium lacing his bones, Wolverine does possess bone claws, which even in that weakened state can still rend steel, though of course it takes more effort than with the Adamantium versions, and the bone claws are certainly capable of being broken if sufficient force is applied to them (though they'll grow back in a couple days thanks to his healing factor). Healing Factor: Wolverine possesses a powerful regenerative capability, allowing him to recover from even mortal wounds in a mere fraction of the time that it would take a normal human. Bruises and minor cuts and scrapes heal in mere moments. More severe cuts take several moments, while a deep bullet wound that damages vital organs or a third degree burn might take as much as a minute or two. Even organs (not counting the heart or brain, removal of which would kill him) or appendages can be re-grown, though it takes as much as a few days to accomplish. Perhaps most importantly, bleeding from wounds tends to be curtailed in moments, making it very hard to "bleed Logan out" and allowing him to survive a vast degree of punishment before he can be taken down. A lot of accumulated injuries in a short span of time can tax this ability, however, causing him to require more extended healing time (though still much, much shorter than human levels, and able to recover from wounds that would have killed a normal man). Some of the most severe beatings Logan has taken have actually left him debilitated for weeks afterwards. This healing factor also makes him immensely resistant to drugs and toxins (though not completely immune), and immune to just about any sort of disease , up to and including parasitic infection (he's expelled Brood Eggs from himself before), or magical infections like vampirism and lycanthropy (though it takes a few days to fight these off). He can still get drunk, but it literally takes a few gallons of beer or a few liters of liquor to get him there. He is also effectively immune to aging, and has been in peak physical condition for over 150 years. Finally, Wolverine's healing factor actually makes him resistant to mental tampering and psionic intrusion, as it views these things as "diseases" to be fought off. This has a downside though, as one of his defense mechanisms for potent mental tampering is...simply to forget (see flaws). Enhanced Physique: Wolverine's physical attributes (strength, speed, agility, durability, stamina, etc...) are all somewhat enhanced beyond normal human levels. His strength is great enough that he can press somewhere in the neighborhood of a ton, and his leg muscles are powerful enough that he can leap nearly 30 feet into the air. He is fast enough to dodge gunfire at near point-blank range (though he often doesn't since his healing factor can take it) and to be able to fight toe-to-toe against superhumanly agile and semi-prescient opponents like Spider-Man (though a fair bit of this ability comes from his "berserker" fighting style). He can sprint about 30 miles per hour over long distances if needed, and under normal circumstances his stamina is effectively unlimited due to his healing factor eliminating fatigue poisons in his bloodstream and repairing the "wear and tear" of activity almost as soon as it occurs. Sufficient amount of damage or persistent (or extraordinarily potent) toxins can lower his stamina, however, as well as degrading his other physical capabilities. As an example, he once fought for 17 hours against Omega Red while his "death factor" was in full effect (though he required hospitalization afterwards). Specials Veteran Hero: Logan's been around. He's a guy that's pretty much seen and done it all, and even with his jumbled memories remembers enough that by any standard he's quite accustomed to the strangeness that accompanies the life of a "costumed adventurer." It takes a lot to shock or surprise him, though it does garner quite a reaction when something actually does. On the downside, he sometimes has a blase approach to what might look like minimal threats that can get him in trouble if he turns out to have underestimated them. Arrested Aging: Logan's older than dirt and hasn't really seemed to age since his mid 30's or so. Thanks, healing factor! Of course he has watched a lot of friends and loved ones die while he keeps on going. Screw you, healing factor! Iron Will: For all his flaws, Logan is a survivor, and has a remarkably resilient mind even above and beyond his powers. He's somehow managed to cling to a certain sense of decency despite fervent attempts to turn him into a remorseless killer (even if it's been a VERY tenuous grip at times). He's survived the loss of loved ones many times over, and endured some of the worst pain that any being could possibly imagine (you try to have molten metal fused with your bones and see how you like it). There's very little life can throw at him that he won't eventually bounce back from. It's not that he's fundamentally optimistic...it's that he's just too damn stubborn to give up, even if his life's a mess. Either way, his willpower is formidable, and a large part of what makes him so effective: His healing factor may heal wounds quickly, but that doesn't mean they don't hurt like hell when they happen! It's his determination and plain old cussedness that keep him moving full-speed-ahead while others would likely be lying on the ground in a fetal position, if not bleeding out. Family Matters: For a notorious lone wolf, Logan's got a lot of people that have, one way or another, become directly attached to him. In some cases by blood, in others simply by a paternal bond that effectively makes them family. Katherine Pryde, Jubilation Lee, and Laura Kinney are all "daughters" to him (or perhaps "way younger sister" in the case of Kitty) and have all been shaped by him in different ways, whether he intended it or not (though Laura is still very much a work in progress). He also has a son and a daughter that he doesn't yet know about...Daken Yashida, who has also been shaped by his relation to Logan in a far more negative and twisted way, and Rina, a young girl who's not yet aware who her father is. Let's just say things are likely going to get...interesting...when that little tidbit comes out. Interesting in the sense of the ancient Chinese Curse "May you live in interesting times." Resources, Gear, and Paraphernalia X-Men: If you asked him, Logan would say he's just an "associate" of the X-Men. If you ask the X-Men, they'd probably say "He's that short, hairy guy that hangs around sometimes." Still, when the chips are down, Logan is an X-Man at heart, even if he often operates on his own. As such, he has access to the equipment and facilities that the X-Men possess, to include the advanced laboratories and training facilities under the Institute (IE the Danger Room), beyond state-of-the-art vehicles (The Blackbird and "Mini-Blackbirds"), and high-tech equipment (communicators and "portable cerebro" mutant detectors and such). Xavier Estate: As the patriarch and guiding vision of the X-Men, Charles Xavier is in many ways Logan's patron. Which is to say that Logan has access to the same resources as the other folks that live at the Xavier Mansion, to include room and board, access to the fleet of conventional (and slightly enhanced) ground vehicles the Institute maintains, and even access to Xavier's immense wealth when necessary (though usually only for incidental expenses). The best part in Logan's case is that he doesn't even have to teach classes in return (though once in a while if they catch him in a good mood he might agree to sub for the Physical Education instructor or give "field trip lectures" on wilderness survival to advanced students). Also, as Xavier's "agent" Logan has a slightly greater-than-most access to Xavier's resources, though he usually doesn't need or want to call upon it unless he has to, preferring to use his own resources so it's more difficult to trace his activities on Charles' behalf back to the man himself. Contacts - Logan knows a lotta people. Even beyond the X-Men, he's on friendly (despite some initial friction when he left Department H) terms with Alpha Flight, is old war buddies with Captain America and Nick Fury, worked with Carol Danvers when she was a young military intelligence agent, has a former paramour that sits at the head of a major international corporation, and has a whole host of other friends, former partners, and professional associates scattered all about the world (to say nothing of people whom Logan has protected/saved at various times). For a "lone wolf" Logan's got a lot of people that are willing to go to bat for him if he needs it. You kinda never know when someone from Logan's past might show up, and while in many cases this isn't always a good thing, at least -sometimes- it proves to be a pleasant surprise rather than a surprise attack. That's not even really getting into the rest of the hero community. Logan's been around long enough that he's very much a known commodity among Earth's superheroes, and has worked alongside many of them at various points in time. Not all of them like him, or agree with how he does things, but he does tend to garner respect, if grudging, and other heroes accept that he's one of the "good guys" and are usually willing to work with him (though he does have an unfortunate tendency to end up scrapping with people before misunderstandings get sorted out). There are two major exceptions to this: While it's a stretch to call him a "hero" at all, Logan and Frank Castle aka The Punisher share a deep antipathy for each other that often expresses itself violently. Likewise, Logan has a long-standing pseudo-feud with The Hulk. For some reason those two just really rub each other the wrong way...most of the time. Occasionally they end up working together just fine, but more often then not putting Wolverine and the Hulk in close proximity to each other is likely going to result in violence. Note: Wolverine doesn't really have any beef with -Banner-. Just "The Big Guy." Safehouses - Even outside of his access to the Xavier Estate and X-Men's resources, Logan has a lot of places he can go to ground scattered about the world. Probably the most well-known of these is the Princess Bar in Madripoor, which he is part-owner of, but he actually has several such properties (many of which are indeed "watering holes") all over the place, as well as the occasional mountain cabin or other wilderness retreat in various isolated parts of the globe. Most of 'em aren't fancy and have only basic amenities (some don't even boast electricity or running water), but they're a roof over his head and at least partial shelter from the elements. Of course, if bad comes to absolute worst, Logan is perfectly comfortable simply wandering the wilderness if he needs to lie low, but a few creature comforts don't hurt if they're available. Weapons - Logan has a moderate arsenal of weapons in his possession, primarily of East Asian varieties associated with various martial arts styles. There are also several fine examples of the Japanese Katana among his collection. Of special significance is the Honor Sword of the Yashida Clan, entrusted to him by Mariko Yashida upon the death of her father (which had the consequence of largely freeing Yashida Heavy Industries from Yakuza/Hand influence). It is a highly treasured possession that Logan takes great pains to treat with the proper care and respect it deserves (though he very much considers himself more "custodian" for the weapon rather than "owner"). The sword is a nigh-priceless medieval Japanese Katana of flawless craftsmanship, forged from steel that was smelted from Meteoric Iron (which while not quite making it magical in and of itself, does allow it to be effective against certain supernatural creatures). It has deep symbolic meaning for the Yashida Clan, though outside of Mariko, there are only a few that are aware that it is in Logan's possession. He would, of course, surrender it back to Mariko without hesitation should she ask. Motorcycle - Logan owns a souped-up Harley Davidson chopper. It's his primary mode of civilian transportation and he gets angry when people mess with it. So don't. Aside from being a very nice bike with some (legal) after-market modification and customizing, it's an ordinary motorcycle. While Logan has access to the motor pool of the Xavier Estate, the motorcycle is the only vehicle that's exclusively "his." Costume: It's a costume. Aside from being colorful and covering his face, it's made out of a durable material that does provide limited armor capabilities, albeit not quite to the point of being bulletproof. It's also got "ports" built in to the gauntlets for his claws to extend through, so he's not punching holes in his gloves every time he pops his claws. Also? Communications gear in the cowl. Altogether not bad for a "superhero" getup. Flaws and Drawbacks Adamantium Poisoning: The adamantium that laces Wolverine's bones and claws would actually cause severe poisoning in any normal person. Without his healing factor to keep it in check, his body literally begins to break down, a process that would kill him in a manner of a few weeks at best, and significantly degrades his physical performance immediately as he's wracked with pain. With a portion of his healing factor constantly devoted to fighting off the adamantium poisoning, it's actually not as powerful as it could be (though still very impressive). Metal Bones: Wolverine's Adamantium Skeleton is cool and all, and makes him hellaciously durable, but it's got a couple major downsides beyond the Adamantium poisoning. First of all, it's heavy. Wolverine weighs FAR more than a man his size should. This also means that swimming is very difficult for him, as it takes a lot of exertion and it's going to be hard for anyone of normal human strength to pull him out of the water if he sinks. Sure, his healing factor means he doesn't get tired from all that treading water, but he's still got to work extra-hard at it. Also? For all that spycraft skill he has, and for all that ninja training and stealth capability...a simple metal detector will be set off every single time it comes remotely near him, and short of disabling or destroying the device itself there's really no way to avoid it. It makes it really difficult for him to fly commercially. The Beast Within: Logan is at heart as much animal as man. He's learned discipline to keep the beast in check, and 99 percent of the time manages to do an admirable job of using the strength that his berserker fury can provide without losing his capacity for rational thought, but every so often he gets pushed a little too far, and "the man" gets submerged, even if only for a few moments. The trigger can be physical...suffering extreme physical trauma is one way that it's been set off in the past. Of course "extreme physical trauma" has a different connotation to Logan than most people. The trigger can be emotional...seeing someone he loves deeply injured or killed, for example. The major downside to losing control is pretty simple: In "full berserker" mode, Logan reacts instinctively to any perceived threat, and this means he can lash out at friends and loved ones as easily as enemies, depending on how they approach him. If he loses control of himself involuntarily, it varies as to how long his "feral" spell might last, too. When he first escaped from the Weapon X facility he wandered for weeks in an animalistic state, or even for months or years, such as after he killed Rose. Worse yet, such "spells" can leave him amnesiac afterwards, sometimes to the point of forgetting his entire life up to that point. Faulty Memory: Logan remembers his entire life only in fits and starts. The problem is that he not only has his real life, he also remembers the false memory implants that the Weapon X project inserted into his noggin, and can't really tell the difference between the two, and worse yet his recall is...faulty (particularly where his earliest memories are concerned). Basically in a paraphrase of his own words he has "ten gallons of brain juice in a five gallon jar." Even Charles Xavier himself can't easily discern lie from truth when it comes to Logan's memories, nor unlock his deepest memories. It doesn't help that many of his enemies are quite savvy about using his memories (both false and true) against him, often by reinforcing false memories. It makes those that are properly armed (so to speak) much more easily capable of manipulating Logan, as sorting lie from truth within his own mind is still something of an obsession for him. This is not helped by the fact that he seems to have a natural coping mechanism for extreme emotional trauma, which basically manifests as "forget it ever happened...and possibly everything else, too!" Checkered Past: He's been a hero, a spy, a soldier, a samurai, a ninja, and a lot of the time really not a very nice person at all. There have been times that he's pushed dangerously close to losing that core of decency that separates him from the likes of Sabretooth, and regardless of how you slice it, he's killed a whole lotta people over the course of over a century and a half. When you have that much history, it tends to come and bite you in the butt when you least expect it, and quite often at that. It also means that Wolverine is someone that is very rarely fully trusted by others in the hero community. He's earned the trust of Charles Xavier and the X-Men, and has the begrudging respect of many, but there are plenty of heroes that wonder if he's a time-bomb waiting to go off, and of course his often quite lethal approach to combat is something that doesn't rest well with too many people. Enemies: Logan's drummed up a whole lot of ill-will over the course of his life, resulting in a lot of people and groups gunning for him. Most notable among these is Victor Creed aka Sabretooth, but there are dozens of other very bad people that would like nothing more than to see Logan suffer and/or die. Complicating matters is the fact that with his faulty memory, he often doesn't remember some of the very people that are trying to kill him at any given moment, placing him in situations where his enemies know him, but he doesn't know them (a significant tactical advantage for his foes). That's not even getting into the various organizations that would love to get their hands on Logan for various reasons, to include Weapon X and The Hand, and even HYDRA. He's also got a ton of enemies from his affiliation with the X-Men, to boot. Anyway...it's a good thing Logan's got a fair number of friends, because he sure as hell has a lot of enemies. Sensory Overload: Logan's superhuman senses are a great asset in many situations, but they can be a liability as well. More to the point, they can be "overloaded" by attacks designed to target his senses. Such attacks are at best extremely disorienting to him, and at worst can render him completely incapacitated (temporarily). Additionally, abilities that skew reality or ones' perceptions of it tend to be very effective on Logan if they throw off his enhanced senses, especially if he's in an already-agitated mood. Logan's senses are intrinsic to his personality, and using them against him in one fashion or another is a very effective avenue of attack against him. Relationships Charles Xavier: If Logan is at heart a wandering samurai, then Charles Xavier is the "Lord" he has chosen to serve. The key point being "chosen." All of the X-Men have a relationship with the man who brought them together, but Logan's is...a bit different. Logan is in many ways Charles Xavier's agent more so than a "member of the X-Men." He has never put the man on the pedestal that many of the other X-Men do, and from the beginning has seen the flaws and accepted them. Logan has tremendous respect for Charles, and as a man who knows all too well what it's like to try to do good despite the demons that may haunt you and a long litany of past mistakes, he is something of an odd combination of operative and confidant to the institute's founder. He undoubtedly follows the man's lead and believes in the overarching goals of his dream, but his relationship with "Chuck" is more a genuine partnership than a teacher/student dynamic. There's little Logan wouldn't do for Charles, up to and including killing for him, and in some ways, Charles is more honest about himself with Logan than anyone else, in that he doesn't have to worry about being "the saint" all the time. While Logan very much may be his "dirty work man" Logan also helps to make sure that Charles doesn't slip too far towards the darker side. It is in many ways an odd pairing, but an effective one, and it all boils down to the fact that Xavier gave Logan the choice of whether he'd work for him or not when he could've just brain-whammied him into serving him like others have done in the past. Mariko Yashida: One of Logan's great loves, Mariko Yashida and Logan met in Japan while he was on an extended operation for the Canadian government in the early 90's (He had tracked some Yakuza activity in Vancouver back to the source). Despite the fact that he ended up killing her father (who totally deserved it), and her fiancee (who was an abusive jerk) ended up dead (totally not Logan's fault...directly) they fell in love. They came very close to marrying, but societal pressures due to Mariko's position in Japan and Logan's ties to the Canadian Government (and continued employment with them) pulled them apart (to say nothing of that whole "Oh yeah, and I've got a bunch of psychotic enemies who will totally hurt you to get at me" business), until they ended the relationship (though it was a reasonably amiable if painful split). While they have had little contact in the interim, Logan still loves Mariko and would sacrifice much to aid her if she were to ask for it. He is, as of yet, completely unaware that several months after he left, she gave birth to their son, Daken. Much less that that now-grown son has a bone to pick with his old man. Yukio: 'Mariko's bodyguard, assistant, best friend, and all-around right-hand woman. Yukio and Logan were actually fast friends upon meeting, and she helped him a great deal during the events that brought him and Mariko together. She also harbored her own attraction to Logan, but kept it unspoken so as not to interfere with her dearest friend's happiness. Several years after Mariko and Logan had parted ways, Yukio ended up helping Logan when a group of Hand Ninjas travelled to the US to try to steal the Honor Sword of the Yashida Clan. This time Yukio's attraction wasn't quite as unspoken, and they did indeed become intimate, though both knew that it was only a one-time thing. Of course, "one time things" can have unforseen consequences, and several months later Yukio gave birth to Logan's daughter, Rina. As with Daken and Mariko, Yukio thought it best that Logan remain unaware of the child, not out of any desire to hurt him, but for the child's own safety (Victor Creed is a powerful motivator for increased precautions). Mariko now passes Rina off as her own daughter as well, though Yukio is still very much involved in her life. 'Jean Grey: He's wanted her since the moment he saw her. For her part, she was initially pretty repulsed by the short, hairy, animalistic Canucklehead. Over time, though, she's seen many glimpses of the man beneath, and while outwardly they've developed a fairly comfortable friendship and even occasionally openly flirt with each other (at least when Scott isn't around being a jerk about things), inwardly Jean just might admit to herself that she finds him more attractive than anyone would suspect. However, they both seem to know that anything coming of this attraction would be an extraordinarly bad idea in the long-term, and so they manage to stay mostly-professional and friendly, even now, when Jean is no longer dating Scott. Not that the temptation doesn't always remain, but it's almost as though some part of Logan's subconscious realizes he's basically projecting his feelings for Rose O'Hara on a more contemporary redheaded beauty, and doesn't let him take it beyond a certain point. Scott Summers: Scott Summers and Logan have a mutual antipathy that's surprisingly not -only- borne of Logan's feelings towards Jean Grey. Scott views Logan as a dangerous loose cannon, and also has a slight tinge of jealousy and suspicion towards the close and secretive relationship Logan keeps with Charles Xavier. Logan thinks Scott is an uptight prick who wouldn't know a good time if someone clubbed him over the head with it, and who doesn't fully appreciate the good thing he has going with Jean. Worse yet, Logan sees signs of hypocrisy in Scott...that for all his professed selflessness and idealism, that he's still got a powerful and potentially destructive selfish streak, particularly when it comes to his personal life. And yet, despite all that...there is a grudging respect for each others' abilities on the battlefield. It's a testament to Scott's leadership and tactical prowess that on the occasions that the infamous "lone wolf" Wolverine joins the X-Men on the battlefield, he manages to be integrated seamlessly to the team dynamic. Oh, he might take every opportunity to needle Cyclops while doing it...but he still does what he's asked to (or needs to) do, and does it well. Every so often, they might find themselves admitting that the other guy isn't so bad...but then one or the other inevitably does something to rub the other the wrong way and they're back at each others' throats. Xavier usually keeps them separated as much as possible for a reason, but on the battlefield they're a frighteningly effective team. Kitty Pryde: Logan was among the first two X-Men Kitty Pryde met, and by hook or by crook, the pair ended up bonding. Logan has taken on a (much) older brother or surrogate parent role with Kitty, and has helped train her in the martial arts and general life lessons. He's quite protective of her, but also knows she has to grow up on her own terms, and recognizes that he's NOT really her father. Still, Kitty knows she can count on Logan, and the reverse is also true. Of all the X-Men, she is one of the few he feels is truly "family" to him now. Jubilation Lee: Jubilation Lee aka "Jubilee" is another of Logan's "adoptees." She was basically an "orphaned stray" when Logan came across her, and somehow they ended up tossed together, helping each other through a lot of dangerous situations until finally reuniting with the X-Men proper. While Jubilee's studies have taken her a little further from Logan's orbit, he still looks out for her when he can, and much like Kitty Pryde serves as a paternal figure (in some ways even more than Kitty, given that Jubilee actually -is- orphaned). She looks up to him and loves and respects him, but thankfully is smart enough to know that -emulating- him isn't the best of ideas (not least of the reasons being he's -told- her it's a bad idea). Laura Kinney: Logan has had a few "surrogate daughters" over the years, but Laura Kinney was someone he was not at all prepared for when they first met. This distaff clone of himself nearly killed him on their first meeting, but eventually she calmed down enough that Logan was able to talk with her, and eventually even convinced her to come to the Xavier Institute. The circumstances of Laura's creation and training tears him up inside, but he recognizes that she will likely never be "normal" any more than -he- is. So he's resolved to help her find a path that she can choose to walk on her own, if not "normal" than at least as a fully realized individual with her own free will. It's a somewhat tenuous relationship...he tries to maintain enough distance that she has room to grow on her own, while still being a stable enough presence that she knows she can rely on him if she needs to. Still, his paternal instincts have indeed kicked in full-force, and it's even reached the point where he's giving serious consideration to formally adopting her (or at least as formally as one -can- adopt an artificially-created young girl with no real legal status). Victor Creed: They hate each other. They frequently do their damndest to try to kill each other (with Logan usually getting the worse end of it but barely managing to survive). They're the two apex predators struggling for dominance and the world isn't big enough for the both of them. Logan sees in Creed a man who has conquered his bestial urges by surrendering to them and accepting them completely. To him Creed is a man without honor, without principle, without true compassion, and with only a few stray threads of sanity keeping him remotely "human." He sees what he himself would become if he'd allowed the traumas he's endured to define him. Creed sees in Logan a hypocrite who constantly fights a futile struggle against what he really is: A killer, an animal...a monster. They are the flip sides of the same coin, inextricably linked, and hating every second of it. Mystique: It's complicated. Seriously. As mutants roughly of an age with each other, Logan and Mystique share a lot of history. At various times they've been lovers, partners, and bitter enemies. There's been betrayals galore on both sides, and the sad part is Logan doesn't usually remember a good chunk of them. What he -does- know, however, is that Mystique provokes a powerful "fight or f***" response from him. They've never even remotely been "in love" with each other, but there's a potent underlying sexual tension that intrigues and repulses them both all at the same time. It doesn't help that on the rare occasion that they're called upon to work together, they do so extremely well. Magneto: They may be enemies more often than allies, but Logan does respect Erik Lensherr as a fellow survivor if nothing else. He recognizes the signs of a man who's been tempered by a long list of traumas, and can understand quite well how a mostly-good man can be driven to acts of violence and murder. In their more peaceful meetings, Logan and Erik can be quite civil towards one another. In their more violent meetings, they have been known to viciously assault one another (with Wolverine almost always getting the worst of it, of course), if for no other reason than recognizing the threat the other poses. Logan would kill him if he had to (and could). He wouldn't enjoy it or take any satisfaction from it...but he would. It isn't really personal with Magneto like it is with some of his underlings. Natasha Romanov: She calls him "little uncle." He was one of the very first men to train her in the arts of combat after he helped Nick Fury free her from HYDRA. You could argue that Natasha was truly the first of Logan's "adoptees" and he still very much tries to look out for her well-being when he can, even if she's quite capable of taking care of herself. They share a strong familial affection...or at least as strong as such affection gets for people as damaged as they are. Should Natasha turn away from her KGB handlers, Logan would be among the first in line she could call upon to help her sever ties. Steve Rogers: He may be the greatest man Logan's ever met. Steve knew Logan as "Lucky Jim" during his days serving as an OSS Operative in World War II, and Logan is one of the relative few to have witnessed Steve go from a "green" super-soldier to an extraordinary leader of men. In fact, Logan was among the many that helped train Steve in hand-to-hand combat and survival. Steve's idealism and genuine decency is potent enough that even Logan's jaded and cynical self can't help but admire it. With Steve, there's no sense of the mild hypocrisy that Logan often senses from Scott Summers. Steve walks the walk and talks the talk, and Logan has a ton of respect for the man, and would follow him into hell if he needed it. James Barnes: As Bucky, James Barnes was an ally of Logan during World War II, if occasionally a tense one (James had a certain degree of resentment towards how easily Steve and Logan worked together). As the Winter Soldier, James Barnes is a near-unknown to Logan...he's heard the rumors of the KGB's super-assassin but never crossed paths with him. Perhaps surprisingly, if the circumstances behind all this were to be revealed, Logan would be almost as adamant as Steve Rogers himself in trying to help "Bucky" return to his true self, and would do all he could to help him cope with the trauma of the harm he's inflicted in the interim. Logan knows all-too-well what it's like to be used as a weapon against your will by men of evil intent. Nick Fury Sr.: Nick and Logan go way back, back to the latter's "Lucky Jim" days in World War II. Logan fought alongside the Howling Commandos enough times that he was pretty much an honorary member. Now, however, their relationship is strained. Nick Fury Sr. is fully aware of just how dangerous Logan can be, and while he's perfectly willing to try to harness that skill and experience for the greater good, he also keeps a close eye (no pun intended) on the man whenever he can for signs that he's finally cracked. Conversely, Logan now knows that Nick Fury Sr. kept information about his past hidden from him during the years that he suffered from his worst bits of amnesia following the escape from Weapon X. Ultimately not a TON of information (Even during World War II, "Lucky Jim" played it close to the chest), but enough that Logan does feel some mild sense of friendship betrayed for Nick not being more forthcoming. They still work together occasionally, but they are, perhaps, not quite as buddy-buddy as they could otherwise be. Frank Castle: Frank and Logan have never gotten along. Might have something to do with the fact that Logan nearly killed Frank the first time they crossed paths. Maybe they're both alpha predators in their own way, fighting for dominance. Either way, the antipathy runs both ways. They generally avoid each other, but when they do cross paths it usually results in some spectacular violence, though every so often they manage to work together, if begrudgingly, and it usually only ends in moderate bloodshed inflicted on each other (and a HELL OF A LOT on whoever they were fighting against. The Hulk: The Hulk was the first opponent "Wolverine" encountered upon first taking on a costumed identity. Truth be told, The Hulk won that round on a technicality and with some outside interference by a Wendigo. Ever since then, about 90 percent of the times they end up in the same place at the same time, a fight breaks out. Which still doesn't usually end too well for Logan, but there it is. Oddly enough, Logan has no problems with Bruce Banner at all. It's just the big green guy that seems to rub him the wrong way (and the feeling is mutual). Perhaps it's simply the fight-or-flight response of an animal faced by a threatening creature, but whatever the reason, it's rare to see the Hulk and Wolverine getting along for any length of time. On the rare occasion it DOES happen though...feel very sorry for whoever's on the receiving end. Lady Deathstrike: It's really quite simple: Logan stole her father's notes and formulas for an experimental process to bind heavy alloys to a persons' bones. It was later expanded upon to fuse Logan's own bones with Adamantium. Ergo, when her father went mad and eventually died, Yuriko Oyama decided the best way to deal with this was to make a deal with an interdimensional super-power broker to become a deadly cyborg warrior, and try to kill the beneficiary of her father's work. Now, she is known as Lady Deathstrike, and thanks to the pseudo-immortality granted by her bio-mechanical cybernetic enhancement, she's a persistent thorn (or claw) in Logan's side. Unlike Sabretooth, he usually manages to get the better of her, but she keeps coming back for more. About the only thing he can really say is that at least she has a sense of honor about it. Silver Samurai - Logan has an...odd relationship with the Silver Samurai. They have clashed several times over the years, but have established a relationship that bears a considerable sense of honor and mutual respect. Kenuichio originally despised Logan, thinking him little more than a barbarian animal, but between sparing his life and their other confrontations over the years, Harada has come to realize that Logan truly does possess the soul of a "wave-man" (Ronin). Logan himself has come to realize that Keniuchio has his own code of honor, and at time even makes subtle attempts to kindle that aspect of him further (for Mariko's sake if nothing else). They are still technically enemies (and Logan is unaware of Harada's HYDRA ties), and certainly not friends, but can be polite and respectful in each others' presence when the situation calls for it. Of course, that doesn't mean that one of them might not kill the other someday, but it will be done respectfully if that day comes. James Macdonald Hudson - James and his wife Heather were the ones that found Logan after he escaped from the Weapon X program. They were the ones that helped restore him to sanity, and eventually who led him to work for Department H (unbeknownst to him, coming full-circle). "Jimmy" and Logan became good friends, and despite some friction when Logan originally left Department H, they remain so to this day. Logan would be more than willing to help James out if he needed it, and for the most part the reverse is also true. Given that James is the leader of Canada's premiere superhero team, Alpha Flight, that's actually quite a bit of potential help. Heather McNeil Hudson - James Hudson's wife. Logan counts Heather among his close friends, but also keeps his distance a bit because he's got a strong attraction to her (Hmmm, a redhead involved with another man? Say it ain't so, Logan!) Heather doesn't share Logan's romantic affections, but does care for him as a friend. They'd both be willing to offer what aid they could should the other need it. Alex Summers: Logan can barely stand Scott Summers. His little brother, though, is another matter entirely. Logan and Alex get along quite well, and have formed a fairly strong friendship after Logan led those X-Men that took part in the Battle of Genosha to help rescue him. They hang out socially and commiserate about what a jerk Scott is. Alex may be considerably more straight-laced than Logan but he's nowhere near as uptight as Scott is. Perhaps most importantly, Logan is one of the relative few who doesn't compare Alex to Scott (consciously or otherwise) and instead accepts him as an individual on his own terms. So yeah, they're buddies. Either would go to bat for each other whenever needed, really. Characters with Rels Set Laura Kinney: Logan is probably the closest thing to a mentor, friend, or father-figure that Laura ever has, or ever will have. She trusts him. Mostly. Which is more than she can say for a lot of people. The two share a kinship, and not just because she's his clone, but she - much like him, was an experiment. Wade Wilson: Wolverine is the best there is at what he does, and what he does isn't pretty. So he runs around lounging in women's underwear! I have photographic proof! Also I have his healing factor from a freakish experiment gone wrong and we're Canadian. He's also really pretty when he's sobbing. Also he's a wuss. Roberto Da Costa: Scary. 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